Forbidden Fruit
by Akasa
Summary: It was Sunday afternoon and she was all flirty skirts and pink bubble gum against the backdrop of a sultry machina landscape... so not appreciated... [RG, complete]
1. Temptation Provokes

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**_o1. _Temptation Provokes**

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_Smack. _

_… _

_… _

_Smack. _

_… _

_Smack. _

"Would you quit it, Cid's Girl?" I released the tangled wires and bent my head around the electric column to glare at her. It wasn't the first time I told her and I knew it wouldn't be the last by the shrewd amusement that revealed itself through her teasing lips. "Some people need to concentrate," I added in my boss-voice, and even as I spoke she gave me a look of unadulterated mischief before tauntingly moving her lower jaw.

_SmmmaaaCKK._

It wasn't hard to realize she was purposely trying to push all my buttons rather than actually committing to the work she had promised she'd finish by the end of the day. The thick air was saturated with shivers of dust and moistened sticky with steam, but one didn't have to squint at her workstation to understand she had other things on her mind than drilling holes and welding plates together.

_SmackSmack._

She was looking at me with those teasing eyes again, deliciously savoring the annoyed look on my face, anxiously waiting for the next words of irritation to come out of my mouth like I owned her. But she knew as well as I that she had a mind of her own and a will of whim that made her dance circles around me. Telling her to stop was never enough. Telling her to quit it was just the beginning. She would continue to look at me with those eyes of hers, occasionally smacking her gum until I finally grew aggravated enough to get up and _force_ her to be silent.

_SmmmaaaCKK._

I never really went that far though. How could I? She knew I wouldn't. It was a game to her, each look of infuriation on my face making her reach closer and closer to a previous personal high score. It was Sunday afternoon and she was all flirty skirts and pink bubble gum against the backdrop of a sultry machina landscape. It was near the end of our shifts and she hadn't and wouldn't speak a word. Wouldn't acknowledge she tried provoking me _all day_ to approach her. To come to her like she owned me in her little game of temptation.

_Smack. _

It was a dare, and she knew I'd take the bait in an instant. We were competitive like that, me and her, ever since we were kids. But this was a different kind of competition. And one that she initiated _entirely_ on her own. Unfortunately for her, I've played these games several times before, and all's fair in love and war.

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	2. Feelings of Jealousy

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**_o2. _Feelings of Jealousy**

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He pretended he didn't notice me walking in. The eyes around the tavern shyly glanced in my direction as the doors behind me quickly clicked shut. He was by the corner in a small dimly lit booth for about three or four. His company was his buddies from the site and a cute golden haired, sandy tanned, scantily clad woman underneath his draped arm who'd apparently just told a _really_ funny joke.

As their laughter subsided, so did the wave of attention I received upon stepping in. They'd all seen me before during my past weeks here, and Pops gave me an official introduction during the reconstruction launch. But that didn't stop the few sneak peeks every now and then when I entered a room. While it often became an uncomfortable bother to have that kind of attention from men I didn't really know or appealed to me, it served to help heighten my plot of catching the gaze of a certain man in particular.

It wasn't that he had anything special I couldn't find elsewhere, or that he was someone I'd risk my fragile little heart for. It was simply the feeling of intrigue and the thrill of a challenge that he provided each time he resisted my attempts. Men were so simple to fool with the right outfit and a touch of make-up. But he was one of the few who could see through it. He was used to it, knew the intent behind the image, and knew not to let down his guard. He had too much pride inside of him to let himself succumb to my tricks. And yet, with others, he gave in with such ease.

(Like I knew he would tonight to that woman underneath his arm.)

I often wondered what it'd feel like – every time I prepared a tasteful show of persuasion for him only – to be underneath him. To be caged in by his sculpted limbs as he kissed a lazy trail down the slope of my abdomen while my legs became tangled in the sheets. I often tried to imagine the look on his face before and after, the kinds of emotions that would run through his mind at the thought of me and him. Although the thoughts entertained me, that's all they were for. I had enough of a hold on reality to understand that such an incident would beget two very different people in one very different relationship. It was risky and dangerous and the idea did nothing but fuel my initiative to get as close as I could without stepping over the boundary. Days on the island passed by simply and plainly, and he was the only thing interesting within reach.

But if tonight he wanted to play the jealousy card, then I was completely content with letting him be. Hug her, squeeze her, kiss her if he pleased, but I wasn't going to let him think it bothered me. I knew him too well, and despite what he showed and did on the outside, on the inside, he was thinking of me. He was wondering what it'd feel like to be over _me_. All I had to do was _pop_ his bubble with a casual smirk and a confident stride out the door, forcing his imagination to work overtime without a visual aid.

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	3. That Don't Last Long

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**_o3. _That Don't Last Long**

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I woke up from the painful impact of my leg against a hard, wooden table. It was an unorganized room, with furniture in no coherent arrangement, and junk piles of all sorts building up on every inch of her austere carpet floor. With a muggy groan I sat up in the bed, rubbing at my eye only to realize that it was still dark outside. Beside me, the cute golden haired, sandy tanned, scantily clad woman absently buried her head against my waist with a small whimper. And yet all I could think about was a different woman… although their physical descriptions were all in all the same.

It was a humid evening in the city, and she didn't make it any easier by breathing on me like that. So I tore away her body from mine, and readjusted the thin sheets around her more feminine areas before I stood up and got dressed. She made it quite clear last night that she _really_ enjoyed getting to know me, and there was no doubt that she would be leaking the details to her closest friends. A few of which I knew knew Cid's girl. And that was all I really cared about.

I left her home after stumbling around the dark rooms, only to be met with a dark sky outside as well. It must've been nearly four in the morning, but the air was still as thick and sticky as the mysterious warm liquid that kept leaking at the F60-1 construction site. Sinking my hands into my pockets, I wandered down the street, not really caring where my feet led me, because I wasn't sure where I wanted to be led myself.

I'd seen _her_ at the tavern earlier, alone and pretending as if she didn't notice me and the woman I had beside me. I could always tell whenever she tried not to care. She would try to tell me with a sway of her hips and a confident stride out the door that it didn't bother her that she'd just seen the face of my lover for that night. Cid's Girl wasn't like me. She didn't sleep around (only once or twice would be my guess), but she always acted like she knew everything there was to know about the matter. She would walk and talk with an air of _experience_, fully aware of how she chose to position her body as she did so.

But she knew as well as I, that I knew the kind of girl she was inside. I knew what made her weak, strong, happy, sad, cry, embarrassed, shy, turned on… loved. Maybe I was being too confident, but that was only because I'd known her for many years. Perhaps the only thing about her that puzzled me was her sudden interest in catching my attention. Her efforts were concentrated on getting me to notice every smooth curve of her body, the length of her legs, the strength of her bubble-gum smackin' tongue. If it was all just a game, then I would win. _Easily_. But if there was a deeper intent beyond her actions…

Suddenly, I saw her walking across the street. Though it was dark and she was far, I saw her face clearly as she stepped into the spotlight of the streetlamp. She was alone, and this time, there was no indication that she had noticed me nearby at all. Curious, I followed her discretely, noting the small bag in her hand. Her hair was unusually bundled into a tight bun, and she seemed a little distracted as she headed toward the exit of the city.

And then just like that, so was I.

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	4. Because the Laws of Attraction

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_**o4. **_**Because the Laws of Attraction**

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The rope burned against my skin as the bag slipped off my shoulder and landed with a hard thud into the sand. With a sigh, I leaned down to grab it, wincing when I felt a sting emerge from the burn. As if my body weren't radiating with enough heat, now I had a red and itchy shoulder too. But there wasn't anyone I could blame, really. It'd been my idea to leap out of bed and go for an early morning swim. _Really_ early in the morning. The thought of cool water washing over my body seemed like such a refreshing way to get my mind off of… certain things that needed not be mentioned. I couldn't sleep… for whatever reason. I kept tossing and turning in bed as if it were made of Cactuar skin, and my mind just wouldn't be put to rest. It wasn't enough to just sit up and stretch a little. Nor was it enough to go into the kitchen or out on the front porch. I had an insatiable desire to sink into something deep, cold, and dark. A desire that still rang loud and overbearing even when my feet finally stepped into the oasis.

I took a quick scan of my surroundings. Fiends didn't usually inhabit this part of the desert when it was dark, but that was only because Bikanel nights were usually cool. Humid weather like this could easily attract fiends to the water, and I had to be careful. When I was satisfied with the safety of the area, I undressed and flung myself into the water as if I were jumping ship. The surface slapped me hard against the cheek before swallowing me greedily into the murky depths. I smiled. Every inch of my body was being massaged by the vibrations of the water. I felt it gently radiate down the slope of my abdomen. I felt it roll over my legs with such force that it kept them tangled in the undulation. Finally, I broke surface, arching back in the dim moonlight that was my spotlight.

And then I heard a rustle.

Whipping my head around to the surrounding bushes, I searched for a hidden fiend or a peeping Tom… But not to my surprise, I saw both: Gippal.

He was hidden well behind the overgrowth, but I recognized him with ease. Without another second, I dove right back underneath as if I had just gotten up, looked around, saw nothing, and resumed swimming. I didn't want him knowing I knew he was watching me; it was more exciting that way. It didn't interest me how he had managed to follow me here without my detection. Nor did I hesitate at the thought of why he wasn't with the woman from the tavern. The fact of the matter was that he was here. Watching me. Wanting me. Craving for me but trying to save his dignity. The fact that he was hiding made it all the better, because that meant he was _ashamed_. He _wanted_ me, and he was _ashamed_ to admit that I could tempt him so easily.

With a sinister thrill, I reached behind my back and tugged at the string holding up my top. I couldn't explain the enjoyment I got from teasing him like this. The fact that a reputable man like him was so close to falling helplessly under my direction was vastly entertaining and made everything I did worth it. Breaking the surface once more, I tossed my top by my bag, shortly followed by my bikini bottom. I then rooted my feet into the sand underneath the water and stood. I stood with my back to him and faced the moonlight with closed eyes and an amused smile. I could _feel_ him going _crazy_ just staring at my silhouette. I could _hear_ his heart pounding in his chest as I gently shifted my hips side to side. I could tell he was going to give in and tackle me the instant I turned around. So I bent down, and let myself dip right back into the inky water. I knew that when I resurfaced, he would be standing in front of me. I knew he would have a look of hunger on his face, and he would be all over me before I could even get a word out. And I knew that this morning, I'd learn how it feels to be underneath him and tangled in the sheets.

But all my expectations disappeared when I lifted my head out of the water and noticed instead that all my belongings – my bag and my bikini – were gone. In their place was a lone grey shirt. A _man's_ shirt that was neatly folded up and sitting innocently in the sand. There was no more rustling of the leaves. I growled underneath my breath as I fixed my gaze out on the flat horizon… Somewhere out there... a half naked Gippal was smirking...

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	5. Say Opposites Will Meet

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_**o5. **_**Say Opposites Will Meet**

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I tightened the towel around my waist before stepping out of the bathroom, sniffing the skin of my arm just to make sure the soap scent stuck. Admittedly, it was a little embarrassing to acknowledge that I was actually _trying hard_ to look good. Most of it came naturally, but in this situation, I had to make sure I reached my highest potential. It was a challenge to outdo her. It was a worthy accomplishment to get her, the temptress, to fall helplessly under my direction. It made everything I did to achieve that accomplishment completely shameless. And besides, it was entertaining. Especially this morning.

With a smirk, I looked out the window at the tiny figure that was approaching. The sun had started to rise and it lit her face up clearly for me to recognize her. Or, recognize my shirt at least. I knew she was viciously furious with the stunt I pulled. I knew her cheeks were hot with humiliation as she marched down the streets past early eyes. I knew she had a burning desire to split open my throat with a chainsaw. And yet, I knew she would be swallowing all her anger in once she reached my doorstep. She was trying to seduce me, after all.

After putting on a pot of coffee, I rummaged through the fridge for some breakfast. There were eggs, bread, and a few fruits she could choose from. That sounded decent enough, provided she and I remained civilized throughout the morning. While it was likely she was going to force herself to forgive me, I couldn't completely dismiss the small chance that she was actually coming here to kill me for making her look foolish in front of the whole city even before sunrise. A loud knock at the door kept my imagination from running any further.

When I greeted her, I was met with a small crowd of men forming a tentative semi-circle around the front of my house. Evidently, my shirt wasn't long enough to be a decent dress. The fact that she had her arm raised and resting against my doorframe didn't help the situation. She crossed one barefoot leg over the other as she looked up at me with a forced, friendly smile. Her voice was firm and monotonous. "Good morning."

"Good morning," I replied, resisting the urge to count the number of shirt buttons she had left undone. "How are you?"

She didn't answer right away, but I could see her body relax a little as she tried to keep herself from looking too tense. "A little cold," she replied in the same dull tone.

"Coffee's almost ready." I crossed my arms over my bare chest, flexing a bit on purpose. "Do you wanna come inside?"

"That would be nice, thank you." She smiled sweetly and folded her arms in front of her. There was a sudden fierce glint in her eyes as she stepped inside, and I didn't take it seriously until I felt her fingers tug at the towel around my waist, making it instantly drop to a puddle on the floor. The crowd of men disintegrated immediately. She gave me an innocent look as I slammed the door shut. "Oh. Cold? Don't worry." She shrugged simply, and one of the sleeves easily slid off her shoulder, exposing the same smooth skin I'd seen in the moonlight just a few hours ago. She touched my arm briefly. "There's hot coffee, remember?"

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	6. And Love is Born

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_**o6. **_**And Love is Born**

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He spent the majority of the time watching my hands, making sure they didn't cause another 'accident.' It made me smile inside, because it wasn't as if he had anything to be ashamed about, yet he felt like he did just because he was around _me_. Although I only had time for a small peek before he hastily covered himself, I now fully understood why so many women sought him. He _really was_ gorgeous. His body was amazingly well defined. He was the best thing a girl could ask for when she was feeling down. And yet we both knew that _I_ had succeeded in intimidating him. It wasn't so much that I could beat him up in a one on one battle or anything like that. But it was more so the fact that he was attracted to me. He liked me. And he didn't want to do _anything_ to drive me away. (Minus this morning's Oasis incident.) As I chewed on the last piece of bread, he readied himself to take away my plate.

"More coffee?"

"No, thank you."

I watched as he cleaned up my half of the table and his, dumped the dishes into the sink and began washing them. His behind moved cutely as he scrubbed. At that moment, whether it was because of the towel that was getting looser and looser around his waist, or the fact that his shirt made me feel completely accessible, or maybe it was the way he so thoughtfully prepared breakfast for me… Whatever the case, I had a ravenous urge to cross that boundary I had set so long ago. Here we were, two indecent, shamelessly flirty people unwilling to just let our stubbornness go. It was downright frustrating, and I couldn't bear it anymore.

I stood up and walked over to him, ready to coax him into giving in. But the moment I pressed my palm against his back, he turned around and grabbed me by the waist, spinning me forward. He planted me firmly between him and the counter. Behind me, the tap kept trickling. I felt his soapy hands brazenly slide over the exposed skin of my chest as he dipped his head close to my ear. "What do you think you're doing?"

I didn't know how to answer him, not when he was talking to me in _that_ tone of voice. That low of a voice. That huskiness in his voice. Not when I was fully aware of the smoothness of his fingers. He dangerously pressed his weight forward, and I gasped sharply. That towel certainly wasn't as thick as it looked. I turned my head slightly to glance up at him, but he noticed and cruelly jerked forward, forcing my gaze up at the ceiling as I arched against the counter. I closed my eyes tightly, groaning at the pressure. "_Gippal…_"

"Tell me, Cid's Girl. What do you think you're doing?" he asked again. I didn't want to answer as I felt his warm breath tickling the back of my shoulder. "What kind of game are you playing?"

I debated whether or not to respond, deciding that it was probably best to remain silent. It was likely, with the position he had me in, that opening my mouth would simply let out something stupid. With slight regret, I realized this was exactly what I had hoped for when I got up from my seat and laid my palm against his back.

"Because there doesn't have to be a _loser_ in this game, you know."

I knew. I just liked winning.

"And if there is…" He finally pulled away, listlessly drawing soapy circles on my side with his finger. He smirked effortlessly. Ruthlessly. "…it certainly won't be me."

After a moment of silence, he gently pushed me aside and resumed the dishwashing. I stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to give up his tough act but he wouldn't. He had meant what he said and reminded me why I had chosen him as my target in the first place: he was a challenge. He wasn't going to back down easily no matter how desperately he wanted to inside (or I wanted him to). I sighed in amusement as I gripped onto the counter. I still felt weak in the knees, and it wasn't fair that he seemed so nonchalant.

With renewed confidence, I released the counter and stood up steadily, tracing my finger daringly along the slopes of his arm. "You won't mind if I take a nap on your bed, would you?" I slowly pulled my hand back and settled it on the button that lay right between my breasts. "I... promise to take the shirt off so it won't get wrinkl –"

He abruptly stopped scrubbing, and turned his head to stare at me. Or at my hand at least. I couldn't help the small smile that escaped my lips at the sight of his shaky, rigid expression. I crossed my legs absently. Something in his gaze told me that it was finally 'game over.'

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_one chapter left._


	7. When Temptation Tastes Sweet

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**_o7. _When Temptation Tastes Sweet**

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Her legs were tangled in the sheets as she struggled to reach for her bag on the ground. Her body slid over mine roughly as she began to get aggravated with my unwillingness to budge. I smirked. Messy strands of hair fell over her face as she tried to turn her head back to look at me. Or, glare at me, really. "Do you want it or not?" she said in a stern tone. "'Cause I can lie right back down and you're not gonna get _any_, mister, no matter _how_ much you beg."

I sighed, gently running my hand down the length of her back. "If you lie back down... _You're_ definitely going to be begging for _something_, Cid's Girl..."

At that comment, a look of recollection showed on her face and she reddened slightly as she turned her gaze. Her legs shifted underneath the sheets as she pulled away from me and pressed her head back into the pillow with a deep sigh. She folded her hands across her chest shyly. There wasn't that air of curiosity and audacity in her body language anymore. After the last hour, she had an abrupt change in her disposition around me, and I couldn't deny that I felt a change in me around her as well. It was as if each of us had surrendered to the other in the heat of the moment, and decided that humiliation was something we could both deal with if that meant the two of us could be together without the drama. Without the competition. Without having to be sneaky and discrete. I understood this when she buried her head in my shoulder, and laid her arm comfortably over my torso.

I glanced down at her, sliding my hand to rest over the bare skin of her abdomen. "Rikku…" I groaned with a hint of desperation. It was only for melodramatic effect since I had long realized that neither of us were going to have much of an intelligent conversation for the next little while. "…Can I _pleeease_ have some gum?"

She laughed softly, turning her head up. She pinched my cheek as if I were a plump, newborn baby. "So the man _can_ beg..."

I sighed, releasing her and bending down myself to snatch her bag off the ground myself. I dropped it between us. She swiftly unzipped the main compartment, her earlier threat completely forgotten now as she fished out the small colorful packet. "I don't know if you're gonna like it," she said as she dropped a piece into my palm. "It's apple flavored. And _really_ sweet."

I shrugged as I threw it into my mouth, leaning slightly on the side to make sure I wouldn't swallow it. After a few seconds of thorough chewing, I attempted to smack it like she always did. Needless to say, it didn't work as well as I had hoped, and she immediately burst into a fit of giggles as she observed my disappointment. "How do you do it?"

"Secret," she replied with a cute wink. "Maybe I'll show you one day."

"Show me how to pop this thing in my mouth? ... Or your mastery of your tongue?" I added daringly.

She blushed behind her smirk. "Maybe when you learn how to smack it, then I'll show you what my tongue is capable of doing..." That bold look was slowly returning to her eyes and the suggestive tone in her voice teased my ears. But it was a different kind of suggestive tone now. She was more playful, more friendly, and actually within reach. She was slowly letting her guard down, and it was nice to see genuine emotions return to her face after weeks of trickery and deceit.

"When I learn how to 'smack' it…" I repeated, trying to think of a way to get around that statement. I knew that I'd never be able to learn how to do it in a reasonable amount of time, but that look in her eyes was challenging me. She was testing me, making sure I matched her skill for skill to be worthy enough of her time and effort. After all, she was the type of woman whose supply of suitors seemed endless, and I had an urge to stand out.

With a small smirk, I glanced down at her rear with a daring idea. Although there was a strong possibility she was going to beat me to a pulp for doing such a thing, I couldn't resist the thought of outsmarting her. It was true that after so long, she was finally within my arms and a small trust was beginning to grow between us as we lay comfortably side by side. It was a special moment to be unspoiled... but I gave into the temptation anyway.

_SMACK._

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_**end**_

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_Sorry for the cheesy conclusion. Hope you still enjoyed it. Please R&R. _


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